LOS ANGELES Even while elevating his game to All-Star status this season, Denver forward Carmelo Anthony has pledged allegiance to Nuggets coach George Karl’s team-first concept. And that has meant as much to the Nuggets as him fulfilling the potential he exuded at Syracuse. He led the Orangemen to an NCAA title in 2003 as a freshman then fled for the NBA, leaving the college scene in a way that a comet streaks across the sky then is gone in a flash.

Anthony averaged 21 points per game as a rookie in 2003-04 and 20.8 points last season, but he was bypassed for the All-Star Game. The sting was more painful because the game was played on his home floor at Pepsi Center.

But it might be difficult to overlook Anthony this year. He has boosted his scoring average to 25.8 points. He also is averaging 5.6 rebounds. An offseason workout regimen, which helped him shed 15 pounds, has improved his quickness and agility.

“I see a guy who is on a mission to try to become an All-Star, which I think he should be this year,” Golden State assistant coach Mario Elie said. “He’s aggressive, he can shoot and he’s playing at a real high level right now.”

Perhaps Anthony’s biggest moment this season was his winning jump shot Jan.10 against Phoenix in a 139-137, triple-overtime victory. That the ball was in Anthony’s hands at the end is a testament to Karl’s faith in him.

“Coach Karl has done a great job of allowing him the freedom to expand his game yet in a structured system,” Nuggets assistant coach Scott Brooks said. “He’s done things only an All-Star is capable of doing, and he’s been consistent. We know every night he’s going to be there for us.”

Anthony seems to split his personality, being a man and still a buoyant kid, at 21 years old – providing team leadership, making a large share of big plays in critical situations, yet with a smile.

One facet of his growth as a leader has been his ability to harness his emotions on the court.. Both Anthony and Brooks credit assistant coach Tim Grgurich for Anthony’s growth in this area.

“Carmelo recognizes what the team needs in a particular situation,” Brooks said, “and that’s what being a great teammate does. If we need a big rebound, he goes out and gets it. If we need a basket at a crucial time, he’ll get it. We’re winning, despite a lot of injuries. And the reason why we’re winning is because of Carmelo’s will to win.”

The Clippers, who face Anthony in Denver tonight in the first game of a home-and-home series, know about Anthony’s offensive explosiveness. He scored 35 against them in Denver’s 105-95 victory Nov.25 at Pepsi Center.

“He’s a great player,” said Clippers swingman Quinton Ross, who is his team’s best perimeter defender and most often assigned to guard Anthony. “He does a lot of things out there on the court. He can score, he has a great post game. He has a nice outside jumper. It’s rip city, especially from 17-18 feet, he’ll knock that down. He’s 6-8, but he’s quick and he’s one of the better one-on-one players in the league.”

Anthony often is Denver’s primary option, and he is tough to cover because of his versatility.

“He’s a heck of a player, a great offensive player,” Phoenix Suns assistant coach Alvin Gentry said. “At his size, he can put the ball down on the floor, take it to the basket. And he’s a dang good jump shooter. You put that in the body that he has, and it makes him a pretty tough player. He’s a versatile player, and he’s still a young player learning.”

One of the knocks against Anthony has been that he settled too much offensively, relying heavily on his outside shot instead of slashing to the basket. That has changed.

“He’s getting to the free-throw line more,” Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy said. “That seems to be a main focus for him. His combination of length and strength is what makes him different from other players. He has good quickness, combined with a power game.”

The scary part for Nuggets opponents is Anthony continues to improve.

“He’s become a more efficient player than he was when he first came into the league,” New Jersey forward Lamond Murray said. “Offensively he’s taking better shots, and that’s the sign of becoming a better player. He can post up, he can shoot from outside, take you off the dribble. He has a variety of things that he can do.”

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